The Iraqi Foreign Ministry has refuted claims circulating in Arab media about the alleged disappearance of 50,000 Pakistani nationals in Iraq.

In a statement released on Sunday, the ministry announced that it had contacted Pakistan's Minister of Religious Affairs, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, who clarified that there had been a misunderstanding regarding the information he provided. The Pakistani authorities plan to summon the media outlet responsible for the inaccurate news to investigate the matter further.

The controversy began when the Pakistani newspaper Al-Umma quoted Minister Hussain as saying that "a large number of Pakistani visitors have disappeared in Iraq during their visits to religious shrines in recent years." This statement led to widespread concern and speculation.

Minister Hussain mentioned that the Islamabad government is taking steps to monitor individuals traveling abroad through illegal means. Furthermore, the Pakistani newspaper Akhbar al-Alam reported that the passports of Pakistani visitors are being collected and seized at Iraqi border crossings before being organized into convoys divided into 136 groups.

Iraqi Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Ahmed al-Asadi, also weighed in on the issue, expressing concern and condemnation over the increasing number of illegal workers in the country.

"Iraq has witnessed an influx of tourists from various countries during the past few days, including Pakistanis, but many of them have begun to engage in the labor market without the required legal permits," said al-Asadi. He emphasized that the ministry would take the necessary legal measures against violators.

The situation remains under scrutiny as both Iraqi and Pakistani authorities work to address the concerns and ensure accurate reporting in the media.